Savior of the World
by lifexlemons
Summary: Karupin flies Ryoma around. Ryoma has a big sword. There are demons. Ryoma kills demons with his big sword. Fuji has a scary smile. What's a twin star, anyways? Thrill Pair. Soon.
1. Prologue

_**A/N: **_So, I've started this story. I don't expect this to last too long--mainly because I'm out of ideas, and because, well, I don't love Prince of Tennis as much as I used to. But I've heard that P.O.T. has ended, and I feel like I should contribute _something_. Just...something. (I actually haven't read the last chapter because I gave up P.O.T. (as one of my manga ) for Lent. T.T)

This fic was inspired by the AMV I was watching, when one random picture of Tezuka with wings was shown, and I realized I wanted to read Fantasy!P.O.T. fanfiction. Unfortunately, there's not much fantasy around. Here's my own contribution. .

**DISCLAIMER: **There are ideas stolen from various sources, such as...well...the most obvious one being CLAMP. (What, did you think I was going to say 'Prince of Tennis?') There is most likely nothing original here and it all goes to CLAMP. CLAMP IS NEXT TO GODLINESS. WORSHIP THEM WITH ME.

(Of course, there's also stuff stolen from D N Angel, another good manga. But still...NOT AS GODLY AS CLAMP.)

...Also, I do not own Prince of Tennis. If I did, then instead of implied gayness, there'd be explicit gayness. In between the tennis, of course.

My disclaimer nicely brings me to **WARNING: IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE THRILL PAIR, DON'T READ**. And if you know what the term 'Thrill Pair' means, don't bother to read either. If I do ever get a flame, please make it grammatically correct. If you don't, it will have FAILED as a flame. And I will be very sad for you.

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_**Prologue**_

The day that Ryoma had learned he was to be the world's fifth-hundred-and-forty-sixth savior, he had walked straight into the jaws of the Echizen family dumpster.

It hadn't been pleasant in there, with all the flies and ants and half-rotten banana peels. Also inside the dumpster, were decaying dinners and lunches, and sticky half-consumed drinks. And…porn magazines.

Of course, Nanjiro, who had been the one to deliver the shocking news to Ryoma, had simply stood off to one side, roaring with laughter as Ryoma scrambled away from the magazines, banged his head against the lid of the dumpster, and finally clambered out to sulk, a banana peel forlornly hanging onto his head.

Ryoma had proceeded to inform Nanjiro that he hadn't any interest at all in saving the world, and then stomped off to take a nice long bath.

He should have known that problems wouldn't be so easy to take care of.

**784243378424337842433****784243378424337842433**

"Look, brat, I know that you just want to play tennis all day," said Nanjiro.

Ryoma glared at Nanjiro and said nothing. His good mood from taking the bath had been destroyed as soon as Nanjiro had cornered him before he could enter his room. Ryoma's room was his only sanctuary.

"But let's face it, you'll never be as good as I am." Nanjiro grinned.

Ryoma's eyebrow twitched, but he still didn't respond, which he knew would irk Nanjiro.

"Right now, there's something more important than tennis."

Ryoma's eyes widened in horror and his head snapped up to stare at Nanjiro. He even forgot to look sulky and indifferent.

"You probably won't believe me when I say this, but I'm the reincarnation of the last savior of the world." Nanjiro puffed out his chest, putting his hands on his hips in a show of manliness.

Ryoma snorted and ruined the manly moment.

Nanjiro looked momentarily upset, but moved on. "You're going to be the next savior, kid. It's your fate." He paused, and then said, "Look, you even have the sword."

"The sword?" asked Ryoma, again jolted out of his sulking. _Since when does _oyaji_ keep weapons in the house?_

"Yeah," Nanjiro grinned. "You got a sword. One that you gotta use against…these…shadow-like _things_ which come in the night."

_That is so cliché, _thought Ryoma.

"They prey on people," said Nanjiro, his grin fading. "And they…well, they do nasty things."

"They must do some pretty horrible stuff if even a pervert like you uses the words 'nasty things' to describe their activities," said Ryoma, deadpan.

"Yeah, they—_what did you say, brat?_"

Nanjiro lunged at Ryoma, but Ryoma had been planning for this moment—he twisted away from Nanjiro's outstretched arms and dove for his door. He managed to get the door open as Nanjiro crashed into the wall behind him.

Quickly, Ryoma slid into his room, closing the door even as Nanjiro reached down to twist the doorknob.

_Snick._ Ryoma grinned as the door was securely locked.

Nanjiro began pounding on the door. "_You stupid brat! Open up! Give your old man some respect once and a while!_"

"Yeah, right."

Ryoma ignored Nanjiro, who had begun _hissing_ at him from outside the door, and took out his math homework.

_It doesn't make sense, anyways,_ thought Ryoma as he calmly began calculating the foci and vertices of ellipses.

_If I was savior of the world, why didn't I find out 'til now? And why would _oyaji_ look so carefree when he was telling me all this stuff?_

Ryoma shrugged to himself, and then put the issue of his savior-of-the-world-status out of his mind.

**784243378424337842433****784243378424337842433**

Nanjiro didn't give up. Ryoma had _thought _he would give up…except he hadn't. Nanjiro now had Ryoma tied to—_this is child abuse, isn't it?_—a chair in the kitchen, and was holding a wriggling Karupin.

Ryoma glared at Nanjiro balefully, as did Karupin.

_Animal abuse! Animal abuse!_ said Karupin's glare.

"I know this isn't easy to accept," Nanjiro was saying, "But you know, you can't just go off dumping your responsibility on someone else. I mean, _someone's_ gotta be savior of the world. Might as well be you." He leered. "You're just _unlucky._"

Karupin chose that moment to swipe at Nanjiro with very, _very_ sharp claws.

Oh, how Ryoma loved Karupin.

"_Ow!_" howled Nanjiro, but he still didn't let go of Karupin.

"I have to get to tennis practice," said Ryoma over Nanjiro's loud yells and curses. "Could you hurry up?"

"I don't know why you have to be so difficult about this," Nanjiro panted.

"You're just explaining it incorrectly, Nanjiro-san," said Nanako as she entered the kitchen. "_Ohayou_, Ryoma-kun."

"_Ohayou_," replied Ryoma, momentarily uncertain. _Nanako-san isn't one to play jokes…if _oyaji_ isn't just joking about saving the world—_

"I got you, Karupin," grunted Nanjiro. "You aren't escaping. Now—change!"

He dropped Karupin onto the floor triumphantly, and Ryoma leaned in closer, expecting—

Nothing happened.

There was a brief, intensely awkward silence.

_It was just a joke after all_, thought Ryoma, annoyed at both his father and the relief sweeping through his body.

"You didn't ask Karupin nicely," chided Nanako.

Nanjiro spluttered indignantly. "Ask a _cat_—nicely?"

"Karupin," said Nanako sweetly, leaning over Karupin. "Would you please change?"

There was a brief pause—and then Karupin's form _wavered_, a blinding flash of light exploding throughout the kitchen

"Karupin!" shouted Ryoma in alarm, unable to stand up due to the ropes tying him to the kitchen chair.

He blinked away spots from his vision, frantically searching for Karupin. He saw nothing, except for a pair of Karupin-fur-colored wings lying on the floor. There were long and sweeping, with delicate feathers.

"Has Karupin turned into a bird?" croaked Ryoma, horror nearly drowning his voice.

"No, no, Ryoma-kun, everything's alright," said Nanako soothingly. "Karupin is your_ wings._"

"My-my wings?"

"I'm not sure how much Nanjiro has explained to you," said Nanako, moving over to sit across from Ryoma. Ryoma's gaze kept darting from her, to his father, and to what Karupin had become.

Nanako sighed, and called, "Change back, Karupin!"

Ryoma prepared himself for another blinding flash of light, and when he cautiously opened his eyes again, Karupin was back to being a cat. A very offended cat. Karupin glared at Nanjiro, and quickly scrambled away from the kitchen.

"Ryoma, it must be hard for you to accept this, but you _are _going to save this world."

"From what?" asked Ryoma, still too relieved about Karupin's transformation back to a cat to question the source of his cousin's knowledge, or why he had to have a role in saving the world at all.

"There are shadow demons in this world." Nanako's face was grave as she continued, "These demons are born from people's _hearts_. And these demons take people's hearts—they—they—"

"Eat the hearts," said Nanjiro. He looked unexpectedly grim and serious, and the idea that this was all just a joke was rapidly slipping away from Ryoma.

"Wait, and what am I supposed to do about this?"

"You have a sword, well, you should have a sword," said Nanako. "And, um, you defeat these demons."

"That's it?" Ryoma frowned. "Why can't anyone else do this?"

"It's a special sword," said Nanjiro quickly.

"And by special, you mean—"

"Look kid, you know what you gotta do now. You got a sword, and you got some demons. You gotta kill the demons with the sword, before the demons overrun the world. Simple enough, yeah?"

"But—"

"Ryoma-kun, you'll be late for tennis practice!"

Ryoma blinked as Nanako fled from the kitchen, and Nanjiro leaned over to untie him from the chair.

"What about breakfast?"

"Heh, you have time to eat breakfast when you still can't beat me?" Nanjiro leered at Ryoma disturbingly.

Ryoma glared and would have snapped something snarky back, except Nanako chose that moment to shove his backpack into his arms and hustle him out of the house.

"_Itekimasu_," said Ryoma half-heartedly.

"_Iterashai!_" called out Nanako, and then slammed the door shut as if she was relieved he was gone.

Ryoma paused for a moment, frowning. There was something distinctly disturbing about his cousin and his father's behavior about the subject—but then Ryoma forgot it all when he saw Momoshiro on his bike, waving at Ryoma frantically.

**つづく...**


	2. Chapter One

_**A/N: I know that this is an awfully short chapter, but I just don't have the time to go through this all. –shifts guiltily- Future chapters will be longer! I promise. Oh, and I named the park 'XXX Park' simply because I can't be bothered to look up where Seigaku is and an actual park that might be close to Seigaku. I know, I'm very lazy. -cries- By the by, I've finally discovered the line breaks! -cheers-  
**_

**Chapter 1**

_And now, here I am, saving the world_, thought Ryoma, disgruntled. _Except, not really._

He swung his sword, feeling it come alive underneath his hand, and watched with satisfaction as the shadow demon gave a wretched shriek and died.

He hoped it had suffered a messy, painful death. He knew it hadn't, but he hoped anyways. A messy, painful death was the least the shadow demon and its kind deserved for having forced Ryoma to become the savior of the world.

_This is my fourth night._ Ryoma rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the thought. _My fourth night being savior of the world._

The first night, Ryoma and Karupin had been tossed out of the house by Nanjiro.

Nanjiro had told Ryoma that he should expect to sleep on the _lawn_ if he was too wimpy to kill some demons. And then Nanjiro had thrown Ryoma's sword _at_ Ryoma, and by the time Ryoma had hastily ducked away from its sharp, pointy end, Nanjiro had already locked the door.

The bastard had locked Ryoma out of the house_. _Out of the house in the freezing cold, in the middle of the night, with instructions to kill shadow demons using a sword he had never before held.

Ryoma gritted his teeth at the memory. _Stupid _oyaji._ What kind of father locks his kid out of the house? And he's supposed to be the reincarnation of the previous world's savior? That makes no sense! _

Nanjiro had claimed that he was the reincarnation of the previous savior of the world. When Ryoma had questioned him further, Nanjiro had briefly explained: "Every time the world is saved, the previous savior is reincarnated close to the next savior. This is so we can provide the guidance needed. Of course, we also provide love and friendship and—" Ryoma had tuned Nanjiro out at that point out of sheer disbelief.

This was Nanjiro's idea of guidance? Throwing Ryoma out into the cold night with a sword he didn't know how to use?

However, much to Ryoma's surprise, killing the shadow demons had been strangely easy these past few nights. The demons weren't _human_, and they didn't even put up much of a resistance to Ryoma. And his sword…though he was clumsy with it most of the time, when he fought using it, the sword became a part of himself. And Ryoma could feel his energy humming in the sword, as if waiting to be released to cut a swathe through the darkness.

It was disturbing, really, how easy it was.

Ryoma shook his head, dispelling his troubling thoughts. The remains of the shadow demon had stopped writhing, and had begun dissipating in the wind. It was time to leave.

"We're going home, Karupin," Ryoma said to the wings furiously flapping him through the air. "Hopefully before some stupid kid takes a picture of us. Again." He grimaced at the thought, as well as the imagined reaction of his father.

The picture had ended up on the newspaper with the title: The Aliens Have Arrived! Nanjiro had snorted milk all over Ryoma's homework, and then spent half the day jeering that he had never been photographed _once_ when _he _had been savior of the world.

It really had been an accident that Karupin had found Nanjiro's porn magazines in the laundry basket. Really.

Ryoma sighed as the wind stung his face, the roaring of the wind loud in his ears. _I miss sleeping extra hours_, he grumbled to himself. _And my arms ache from this stupid sword._

This was _only_ the fourth night that Ryoma had begun saving the world. And already, the late nights out were taking a toll on Ryoma's body. He felt even more sluggish in the morning, and was more prone to fall asleep during class. He became _clumsy. _And worst of all, as Ryoma had secretly feared, the level of his tennis was dropping. Not by very much, but the constant state of exhaustion he was in was enough that he sometimes lost focus and missed absurdly easy serves.

Ryoma closed his eyes in mortification at the memory of Tezkua's incredulous face at yesterday's practice. The ball had sailed right by Ryoma…

Suddenly, there was a loud shriek above the wind—_Karupin_—and Ryoma found himself descending rapidly.

"Karupin? What's wrong?" Ryoma twisted frantically, trying to look at Karupin, even as he landed hard on the ground, the sword clanging to the ground beside him, loudly. He grunted in pain at the impact, but still leaned over in alarm as he saw Karupin _shifting _again, changing into a cat.

"What's wrong, Karupin, why did you stop?"

Karupin meowed in reply, his meows seeming alarmed, but not hurt.

Ryoma scooped up Karupin in his arms, the sword forgotten at his side. "Are you all right, Karupin? You shouldn't—"

"Echizen-kun?"

The voice jolted Ryoma out of his examination of Karupin. He felt suddenly exposed, though it was too dark for anyone to see anything.

"Fuji-senpai," he called back automatically, and then had to fight the urge to bite out his tongue. He shouldn't have called out. Now Fuji would want to know why he was in a deserted park in the middle of the night, with a cat and a sword.

_And…it feels like my skin is tingling, for some reason. The air is sharper, and colder. It feels like…_Ryoma frowned in concentration, ignoring Karupin wiggling in his arms. _It feels like the moment right before a shadow demon attacks._

Suddenly, Karupin leaped out of Ryoma's arms and bounded off into the darkness.

"Karupin!"

_I knew being the savior of the world was_—

"It's all right, Echizen-san," said Fuji, though Ryoma _still _couldn't see him. "I have him. Were you out late because you were looking for Karupin?"

Ryoma's mouth felt dry. "Yeah, I was looking for Karupin." He paused, and then added, "Thanks for catching him, Fuji-senpai."

_And why is it so dark?_ whispered a voice in the back of Ryoma's mind. _The moon was out when we were flying with Karupin…and it's so _dark_ now you can't even see…but _they can see you.

Ryoma felt tension thrum throughout his body, dread pulsing through his stomach. _Something horrible is going to happen._

"Echizen-kun, you should take better care of your cat," said Fuji. He sounded as if he was closer—but how did he know where Ryoma _was_ when Ryoma couldn't see anything through this thick darkness?

"Karupin likes," Ryoma had to swallow in order to continue, dread threatening to choke his throat, "likes to wander."

Fuji chuckled—

—and suddenly Ryoma could see again.

Silvery moonlight blinded Ryoma, and he raised one hand to shield his face from the moonlight, only to realize that Fuji stood right before him, staring at Ryoma while stroking Karupin.

Karupin didn't make a sound as Fuji looked at Ryoma, his eyes blue and sharp and cold and calculating.

"So," said Fuji conversationally, "It's a beautiful night, _ne_?"

"Whatever you say, Fuji-senpai," snapped Ryoma, unsettled.

The dread he had felt had receded at the appearance of the moonlight.

"Hmm." Fuji closed his eyes, and Ryoma felt much, much better.

"Shall I take you home?"

"It's fine," said Ryoma. "I can get home from here." In truth, he had no idea where he was, but he wasn't about to get up and reveal to Fuji the sword lying in the grass beside him.

Ryoma had never seen his sword before, until the first night, when Nanjiro had thrown it at him. The sword was nearly as tall as Ryoma, which made it difficult to handle. But it was a beautiful sword: the sword pommel was a golden pentacle, while the hilt of the sword was a sleek, dark purple. And the sword guard was an elaborate piece of work, with details etched into gold. The knuckle block arched gracefully, resembling a half-opened wing. The golden quillions curved towards the front of the sword. Set on the quillion block was a blazing red jewel. Beyond the hilt, the blade echoed with sharp deadliness. Now, underneath the moonlight, the sword glittered like dancing ice.

_I have no hope whatsoever that Fuji-senpai won't see this sword,_ thought Ryoma resignedly. He wondered if Fuji would get him trouble for carrying around a weapon that looked more as if it belonged to a museum than a twelve-year-old.

"Echizen-kun?" Fuji smiled. "Are you ready to leave, yet?"

"Fuji-senpai, why are you out so late?" Ryoma tried for his usual sarcasm. "Won't you be scolded?"

Fuji laughed—actually _laughed_, and the last of the dread Ryoma had been feeling seemed to shatter into tiny, insignificant pieces.

"I'll take you home, Echizen-kun. I can't let a _kouhai_ walk home alone, when it's so dangerous at night."

Ryoma bit his lip, but knew that being stubborn with Fuji was impossible. He still tried. "I can walk home on my own, Fuji-senpai."

"I'm sure you can," returned Fuji. "But I'm going to walk with you."

Sighing, Ryoma cautiously got up. He braced himself for Fuji's gasp at the seeing the sword—

"Shall we go?"

Ryoma blinked and had to fight the urge to look back. If, by some infinitesimal chance, Fuji really _couldn't_ see the giant sword lying in the grass behind him, Ryoma didn't want to point it out.

"Yeah." Ryoma held out his arms, and Fuji spilled Karupin over. Karupin huddled in Ryoma's arms, seeming torn between exhaustion and fear. He was also cold.

"I hope you don't live too far from here, Echizen-kun."

"No, I don't," said Ryoma, though he still had no idea where he was.

Fuji smiled again—_he always smiles_—and turned away from Echizen, moving through the darkness at a steady pace. Echizen stumbled after him, giving one last look to the sword. Karupin meowed plaintively in his arms, also peering back at Ryoma's sword.

_I hope no one steals the sword before I come back for it. But there's no way for me to get rid of Fuji-senpai, right now._

Ryoma gave Fuji a sidelong glance, noting with some irritation that Fuji looked at peace, striding through the empty park with a serene smile on his face.

_I wonder what Fuji-senpai was doing out this late. Should I ask? It's dangerous now, to wander around at night. Those demons might attack._

Ryoma's train of thought was abruptly interrupted as Fuji stopped.

"What's wrong, Fuji-senpai?"

"We're in XXX Park," said Fuji cheerfully. He pointed. "I just wanted to stop to show you the sign. Is your house close by?"

Blinking, Ryoma looked at what Fuji was pointing to: the sign read "XXX Park."

"Yeah," said Ryoma after a moment. "My house is just another block away." He was feeling somewhat surprised actually. _I was so close to home, too. Why did Karupin stop?_

"That's good," said Fuji. "I guess I won't have to walk you home too far, _ne_?"

Ryoma grunted in reply. His arms were aching from not only wielding his sword, but also from carrying Karupin. And he was beginning to feel _cold._ Ryoma could bear the cold when he was flying, but that was only because flying lasted around a minute before he reached the warmth of his home.

And it was _freezing_ now, and he was shivering, and his teeth were chattering, and—

_Whmp!_

Ryoma blinked in surprise, the sudden warmth making him halt.

"What's wrong, Echizen-kun?"

Ryoma looked down at the jacket covering him, and then back to Fuji. "Fuji-senpai, aren't you cold?"

"I'll do fine without my jacket," said Fuji easily. Indeed, he didn't look cold at all, though he was clad in only a thin T-shirt and jeans.

"…Thanks," said Ryoma finally. Fuji's jacket was _really_ nice. And warm. And the jacket even smelled good—

_I didn't just think that, did I?_ Ryoma ducked his head, wishing for the security of his cap as he began to flush with embarrassment. _I did _not_ just think to myself that Fuji-senpai's jacket smelled good. _

"Echizen-kun, if you don't hurry up, then we'll be standing here all night," called Fuji from some distance away.

Ryoma hastily hurried after him.

* * *

"So, you're safely back home, Echizen-kun."

"Yeah," grumbled Ryoma, who was remembering that he'd have to sneak out and get the sword back after Fuji had gone away.

"Surely your parents are worried?"

"_Oyaji_ doesn't care," said Ryoma automatically. And then stopped, and actually thought out his sentence. "_Oyaji _was the one who made me look for Karupin."

"Your father sounds very interesting."

"Che." Ryoma shifted uncomfortably before his house, Karupin protesting drowsily at Ryoma's unnecessary movements.

Fuji must have noticed his discomfort. "See you tomorrow, Echizen-kun."

"See you," responded Ryoma. He turned to go into his house—and then hesitated. "Fuji-senpai?"

Fuji turned back around, smiling. "Yes?" He had only moved two steps.

_Do you want your jacket back?_ was what Ryoma meant to say. Instead, his mouth betrayed him. "Be careful."

"Be careful?" echoed Fuji in confusion.

"Yeah…just…" Ryoma wished for his cap again. "Don't go wandering around at night. It's not safe."

"Same to you," said Fuji, with an edge to his usual smile.

"And you forgot your jacket."

Fuji walked forward—faster than Ryoma had thought possible—and before Ryoma realized what was happening, Fuji's body was pushed up against his, his arms trapping Ryoma against the door. His warm mouth was inches away from Ryoma's ear.

And Ryoma could barely think from the sudden heat and dizziness.

"_Keep it,_" whispered Fuji, close enough for Ryoma to feel him breathing.

And then Fuji walked away, letting the cold night air fill the distance between him and Ryoma.

Ryoma watched Fuji leave, both startled and confused by what had just happened.

_Why exactly did Fuji-senpai feel the urge to tell that to me standing so closely? And why did he have to say his words in _that_ tone of voice?_

Annoyance began to overcome the surprise and confusion as Fuji turned the corner, disappearing from Ryoma's view. Karupin stirred in Ryoma's arms.

_Fuji-senpai is so _weird. _But,_ thought Ryoma grudgingly, _his jacket smells nice._

* * *

In Ryoma's opinion, the morning arrived too early. Ryoma was dragged out of bed by Nanjiro's shouting, which was loud enough to even waken Karupin.

Sleepily, Ryoma got up, took a bath, changed clothes, brushed his teeth, and padded down to the kitchen for his breakfast.

He was greeted by the sight of Nanjiro hopping up and down anxiously, face wrinkled in worry.

"Where's the sword, kid?" was the first thing Nanjiro said.

"Don't have it," mumbled Ryoma tiredly.

"Then where _is_ the damn thing?"

"At a park." Ryoma watched his cousin bustle around the kitchen.

There was an ominous silence as Nanako flipped the eggs.

"You…how come the sword is _at a park_?"

"I left it there." _On accident._

"Whaddya mean, you left the sword at a park?" roared Nanjiro, who seemed either unwilling or incapable of believing that the savior of the world had abandoned his only weapon at a place where old women practiced _tai chi_ in the morning.

Ryoma yawned.

"Hey, don't just give me that look! Answer!"

"I had to leave it," said Ryoma, impatience coloring his voice. "Fuji-senpai came, and I had to leave the sword. I couldn't carry around with me, could I?"

"That sword is an important weapon! You can't just leave it lying around!"

"I know where it is," said Ryoma. "I can just go and get it now."

"Don't think you can just get away from my lecture like that!"

"Ryoma-kun, here's your breakfast," said Nanako, who seemed very calm in comparison to Nanjiro. The reason for such calmness was revealed when she turned to Nanjiro, and said, "I still remember when _Oba_ told me _you_ left _your_ sword on top of a building. At least Ryoma's sword is in a place he can get to without having to go through security guards and metal detectors."

Nanjiro sputtered indignantly, his face turning red as Ryoma smirked at him. "Still—I—!"

"When do you think you should get your sword, Ryoma-kun?"

"I could go now," said Ryoma indifferently, finishing off the last of his breakfast in a remarkably short amount of time.

"_I'll_ go and get it," snapped Nanjiro, suddenly regaining use of his voice.

"Why is that?" asked Nanako sweetly as she took away Ryoma's plate for him.

"Can't trust young brats," Nanjiro grunted. He wouldn't look Nanako in the eyes, though, and Ryoma suspected Nanjiro's pride had been wounded at the reminder of his past mistake with the sword.

"Fine then." Ryoma grabbed his backpack and tennis equipment. "I'm going to leave for tennis practice. _Itekimasu._"

"_Itterashai!_" called back Nanako.

Ryoma let the door swing shut behind him, hefted his bag and tennis equipment, and sighed.

He was utterly exhausted.

_Being savior of the world sucks._

* * *

Gloomily, Ryoma watched another ball roll sadly to a halt.

"Echizen, you're not trying hard enough," yelled Momoshiro, looking rather _too _gleeful.

"I can beat you," said Ryoma. "_Mada mada dane,_ Momo-senpai."

Momoshiro looked upset, which was what Ryoma had been hoping for. "You can't beat me! Show your _senpai_ some respect!"

Ryoma watched with satisfaction as the ball sailed past Momoshiro while he was busy ranting. "Your turn, Momo-senpai."

"What do you mean, it's my turn? You still have the ball don't you?"

There was a pause, as Momoshiro eyed Ryoma suspiciously, and then realized Ryoma was no longer in possession of the ball. He looked behind him, and saw the innocent green ball resting happily in the sun.

On his side of the court.

"You cheating brat!"

"Hmm," said Ryoma. "I'm getting bored. I think I'll go get a drink of water."

"Come back here!"

Ryoma walked away calmly, making sure to give a jaunty wave to Momoshiro as he made his way to the water fountain. He thought he could hear Momoshiro make an incoherent sound of rage, and his grin momentarily became real.

When he was sure that no one could see him, Ryoma slumped down in exhaustion.

_Too little sleep,_ he thought. _Not to mention, fighting was exhausting last night. Stupid sword. Who makes the sword for the savior of the world, anyways? Why don't the makers of the sword think about a twelve-year-old having to use this sword?_

Ryoma rested against the cool stone of the water fountain, his eyelids strangely heavy. Though he knew that sleeping during _tennis practice_ was tantamount to desecrating a corpse, exhaustion blurred his common sense. He couldn't fight the sleepiness muffling his senses…

_There was a figure standing before him. Who? He—or she?—was limned by the sun, hair burning with color. As Ryoma looked more closely, he came to the conclusion that this mysterious figure was indeed male. For a few moments, the figure did nothing but gaze down at Ryoma, and Ryoma gazed back up, drowsily. Then, the figure extended his hand, smiling. Ryoma reached up to take his hand._

"_My twin star." _

"Echizen?"

"My twin star," repeated Ryoma. He wasn't aware that he was holding onto someone's hand until the low voice repeated his name again.

Slowly, Ryoma opened his eyes—and then winced.

Standing before him was Tezuka, looking none too pleased at having caught Ryoma sleeping.

_And I'm still holding onto his hand. _

Quickly, Ryoma dropped Tezuka's hand. He hoped that the captain wouldn't be too angry.

Unfortunately, it looked as if the hand-grabbing had indeed worsened Tezuka's mood. He stood before Ryoma with the air of a disappointed statue.

"These past few days, Echizen, your performance has gotten worse. As captain of the team, I would request that you tell me why." His words were clipped and short.

_I knew that it would come to this,_ thought Ryoma darkly. He tried to think of something to say, but couldn't.

_I'm saving the world in the middle of the night. I see shadow demons lurking around in parks and kill them off. I can prove it to you! I mean, I left my sword at the park yesterday. My cat can…change into wings?_

Tezuka was his only rival besides his father. How could Ryoma explain this strange business he had been caught up in?

He couldn't.

"I can't give a reason right now," said Ryoma finally, when the silence had stretched on for too long. He saw Tezuka opening his mouth to respond and quickly added, "I'll try harder, though."

For a few agonizing moments, Ryoma thought that Tezuka would press the issue. Then, abruptly, Tezuka offered his hand to Ryoma, and said, "_Yudan sezu ni ikou._"

Ryoma was too relieved to make a snarky quip at Tezuka's trademark phrase (_mada mada dane _wasn't that much better, though—not that Ryoma would ever admit this, even to himself) and simply took Tezuka's hand, letting himself be helped up off the ground.

_This is getting ridiculous_, thought Ryoma, trailing behind Tezuka and walking back to where Momoshiro still waited for him, a scowl on his face. Ryoma _still_ felt tired. _How am I supposed to balance saving the world, schoolwork, and tennis practice? _

Momoshiro's voice jerked Ryoma out of his thoughts. "Your serve, Echizen!"

Ryoma served.


End file.
